A Herculean Disaster
by FlightoftheStorm777
Summary: With the Night Howler case wrapped up, Nick and Judy are ready to get back to work at the ZPD. But as new conspirators arise from the shadows, Chief Bogo decides to set Nick and Judy on the case in hope of stopping a massive disaster from occurring on the new cruise liner, the Hercules. But with Nick and Judy struggling to decipher their feelings, it won't be that easy. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**_A Herculean Disaster_**

 ** _Sharing Messes_**

Nick climbed into the truck beside Judy. "Remind me again why we're going to Bunny Burrows." he said, propping his feet up on the dash.

"Tomorrow is Clawhauser's birthday and we're picking up pies. Get your feet off my dash." replied Judy, revving the engine.

Nick obeyed, shaking his head in amusement. He stared out the window, watching Zootopia flash past and eventually fade into the distance. Judy played "Try Everything" by Gazelle, bouncing and singing at the top of her little lungs. Nick watched her, smirking. He rolled his eyes at her. As they got closer to Bunny Burrows, Nick lowered the volume to the music. Judy looked at him, her eyes narrowed in half askance and half annoyance. "Why're we going to this guy? Aren't there bakeries in Zootopia?" Nick asked.

Judy grimaced. "Well, there are, but… Gideon's a partner with my parents."

"Uh-huh," said Nick, feigning disinterest. "What else are you not telling me?"

Judy's grimace deepened. "Well… There is something you should know… But I was waiting to tell you until after we got the pies."

Nick, catching the tone of Judy's voice, sobered of any amusement. "What is it?"

Judy stared at the road as if it were the most interesting thing she had ever laid eyes on. "Well… Gosh, I don't know why I'm telling you this… But when we were kids, there was an incident with Gideon that may or may not have been the reason why I was so scared of foxes."

Nick blinked. He stared at Judy, still unsure of what she meant. He had a pretty good feeling, though. "What happened?"

Judy's paws clenched and unclenched the steering wheel. "Gideon… sort of, well, he… He scratched me."

Nick widened his eyes. He remembered seeing three faint scars across Judy's cheek. The fur had long since grown over, but if one got close enough, the thin lines were visible. Nick had always wondered, but… Now it made sense. Those were scratch marks. Nick looked out the window. "No wonder your first instinct was to mistrust me…"

"Nick, I'm fine. You've showed me that foxes are good." said Judy.

"Not all of them." Nick growled.

"Nick," said Judy sternly, "Gideon's turned his life around. He apologized."

"Oh, I'm glad he apologized for traumatizing and forever tainting your view on foxes. Real sweet guy." Nick said, sarcasm poisoning his tone.

"Nick, you be nice to him. He's a friend now. He's a good mammal. I shouldn't have told you." Judy sighed.

"I'm glad you did," said Nick, clenching his teeth. "I told you about what happened to me."

"And now look at you. A police officer and friends with prey. So my situation isn't much different." said Judy.

"I suppose," said Nick, though he could not shake his disgruntlement. No wonder Judy had immediately reached for her fox repellent when he had threatened her after the press conference. She must have had a flashback about Gideon attacking her!

Judy pulled up to a bakery. "If you can't be nice, don't come in." she warned.

Nick feigned offense. "Carrots, there's a picture of me beside the word 'nice' in the dictionary."

Judy rolled her eyes. "Right."

They entered the bakery. A hefty fox moved out from behind the counter.  
"Hiya, Judy. Boy, it's real good to see you. Um... Who's this?" said the fox. He could only be Gideon Grey. Nick had promised Judy that he'd be nice, but seeing this large fox only irritated him. He imagined a little, young bunny and this large fox... This fox had scratched Judy, knowing his size would render her immobile... Nick could only think about young Judy, scared and hurt, pinned down by this fox.  
Before anyone could react, Nick had drawn his paw back and decked Gideon in the muzzle. "That's for Judy, fifteen years ago." Nick explained, shaking his now throbbing paw.  
"Fair enough," said Gideon, sniffling slightly.  
"Nick!" hissed Judy. She put her paws on her hips and glowered at Nick. "That was uncalled for!"  
"Sorry." Nick muttered. He didn't really mean it. "I'll wait in the car." Nick left the bakery, Judy's abundant apologies to Gideon ringing in his ears. He slid into the passenger seat and crossed his arms, waiting for Judy. He knew he'd get a mouthful later, but he didn't regret a thing. Judy was his Carrots, and nobody, no matter how long ago it happened, was going to hurt her without getting a reprimand from Nick. Besides, had it been the other way around, Nick knew Judy would do the same thing. Well, she might not punch Nick's bullies, but she would definitely give them a piece of her mind, if she ever met them.  
Judy tromped into the car and handed a stack of pies to Nick. "You're lucky Gideon isn't mad. I mean really, what were you thinking?"  
"I was thinking I'd stick up for you. You're welcome, by the way." Nick replied.  
"I'm not thanking you! And you're fifteen years late." Judy snapped.  
Nick could tell she wasn't too angry. "Better late than never." Nick muttered.  
Judy sighed, starting the engine and pulling out of the bakery driveway.  
"You know you love me, Carrots." Nick teased.  
"Do I know that right now?" Judy growled. Nick's smirk faded. "Yes, I do." Judy finished. Nick's smirk returned. It melted into a genuine smile. He leaned back, enjoying the ride and the smell of pies as they made their way back to the ZPD.  
Nick carried the pies all the way into the bullpen the next day, regardless of Judy's insistence that she help.  
The other officers let out roars of approval for the pies. Nick smirked and set down the pies on a table. They sang happy birthday for Clawhauser, who squealed with delight, and then dug into the pies. "Hello, Judy." said a deep voice. Nick bristled and turned toward the source, praying it wasn't who he thought it was... Dang it.  
"Hi, John!" yelped Judy. She bounced toward the handsome tiger, who smiled at the bunny. Nick scowled. Of course John Fangmire, perfect and dashing John, would want to talk to Judy. She was the most attractive female on the force. And of course Judy, sweet and awesome Judy, the heroine of Zootopia, would want to talk to John. Nick wasn't sure what rubbed him the wrong way about the two of them talking, but it did. Maybe it was the different species? Nah. It was probably the fact that John was a player. If he hurt Judy, Nick would go savage on his own accord and claw the tiger's eyes out.  
"You and I should get dinner sometime. I'd love to hear about the Night Howler case exclusively." John purred. Nick's scowl furthered.  
"Oh, sure!" Judy said, her violet eyes wide.  
"Hopps! Wilde! My office, now." Bogo barked. Nick felt a flood of relief. John's incessant flirting would have to wait. Nick led Judy up to Bogo's office. They sat in the chairs across from Bogo's desk.  
"What's up, Chief?" Nick queried, leaning back in his chair.  
"Just when I think this whole Night Howler hoorah is over, something else pops up," Bogo grumbled. He laid down a case file. "Doug, one of Bellweather's assistants, came forward with some information to reduce his sentence. There were other conspirators, whose names are unknown. There was a plan for said conspirators to attack a massive group of predators with a Night Howler bomb."  
Nick felt his smirk fade into a frown. He exchanged a glance with Judy, whose eyes had grown to the size of saucers. "Did Doug happen to say where this was going to happen?" Nick asked.  
"That's the problem," said Bogo. "He did. The plan is for it to take place on the new cruise liner, the Hercules."  
"A ship?" Nick questioned.  
"An enclosed space in the middle of the ocean..." Judy trailed off.  
"The prey won't stand a chance!" Nick realized, his eyes stretching.  
"Exactly," said Bogo. "Now, we don't know who is behind all this, so that's up to you both. Your job is to go undercover and find out who the conspirators are and arrest them before they can detonate the bomb. Wilde, your cover is the unemployed fox looking for a job aboard the ship. Hopps, you're a wealthy bunny... And you shouldn't go by Hopps, since everyone knows that name... Hare, that's good. Judy Hare. Oh, and you're engaged to James Cotton."  
Nick raised his eyebrows. Why did Judy have to be engaged?  
"Clawhauser, send in Cotton." Bogo paged Clawhauser's desk. Nick exchanged a glance with Judy. The door opened and a sleek, black-furred bunny entered the room. He smiled at Judy and held out a paw.  
"James Cotton, ZBI. Pleasure to meet you." he said in a smooth voice.  
"ZBI?" Nick queried.  
"Zootopia Bureau of Investigation. A step up from police force." James said.  
"Like secret agents? Oh, wow!" Judy exclaimed.  
To Nick's dismay, Judy seemed enamored with Mr. Sleek and Smooth Bunny. "The three of you will be working together on this. You have two days to pack. Your train leaves Tuesday at 5 am sharp, and it'll take you to the docks. Good luck." Bogo said.  
Nick, Judy and James left the office. "Should we all get dinner to acquaint ourselves?" Judy suggested.  
Nick clenched his paws. No, he did not want dinner with James. "I think it's a good idea. I can tell you the information I have, and you two can tell me your information." James said in his annoying, velvety voice.  
Nick ground his teeth together. "I'll have to pass. I've got big plans tonight."  
"You do?" Judy said, her ears dropping a little.  
"Yep," Nick replied shortly. "You two bunnies don't need this ol' fox around, anyway."  
"Nick..." Judy tried. But Nick didn't listen. He walked away from her, not caring that he was acting childish. What if Judy wanted to be partners with James instead? What if she left the ZPD to join the ZBI?

…

Judy watched Nick's retreating back over and over again in her mind. What had gotten into him this week? First punching Gideon, then blowing off James...  
Sighing, Judy examined herself in the mirror. She was wearing a pink dress with a tie around the waist. She hoped it wasn't too much for dinner, but James had said to dress up...  
Judy's phone began to ring. She frowned when it wasn't Nick. "Hi, James."  
"I'm waiting for you outside." said James.  
"Oh, I'll be right down." Judy chirped. She pushed Nick out of her mind.  
"Good luck on your date!" yelled one of her neighbors.  
Judy rolled her eyes and left her apartment. It wasn't a date. Well, they were supposed to be engaged... But it wasn't a real date. Although James was quite a handsome bunny. Judy slid into James's car.  
"You look lovely." James said.  
"Thanks, you look nice, too." Judy said, eyeing the suit.  
James drove them to a nice restaurant and had them seated. Judy tapped her feet nervously. It sure felt like a date. "Sorry about Nick. I don't know what's gotten into him lately."  
"It isn't a problem," said James, smiling. "I'm sure it's the case stressing him out."  
"Right, the case!" Judy cried. "What do you know?"  
James tilted his head. "I'm afraid I don't know much more than you do."  
"Oh," said Judy, her ears dropping. "Then why are we here?"  
"Well, if we're going to be dating for the next week, then I think we should get to know one another. We should act the part." James replied.  
Judy fiddled with her napkin, feeling her stomach churn. "Okay..."  
"So, we need a backstory, right?" James prompted.  
"Uh, yes." Judy chirped, smiling.  
"How did we meet?" James leaned forward. Oh my, he was a very attractive bunny.  
Judy thought for a moment. "You were buying carrots from my farm."  
"And then I hired your farm as my permanent carrot provider. We were around so much we fell in love." James added.  
Judy relaxed a little. James was pretty easy to talk to. "How about our first date?"  
"Hm... I took you dancing." James decided.  
"A gala! I've always wanted to go to one." Judy exclaimed.  
"And you were stunning in your dress, of course." James said.  
"It was green," said Judy.  
"Yes, green looks lovely with your amethyst eyes." James added.  
Judy felt her face heat up. No one had ever called her eyes amethyst before. "When did you know you loved me?"  
"Whenever I realized that my heart nearly stopped every time I looked upon your flawless face." James murmured smoothly.  
He leaned forward and touched Judy's paw. She looked away. James's amber gaze was intense. Wow. If only their relationship were real. It seemed like a dream come true. "My face isn't flawless." Judy said, touching the faint scars from Gideon's attack.  
"I don't see any flaws." James replied.  
"Still..." Judy trailed off, looking at the table.  
"You are beautiful, Judy. I mean it." James murmured.  
Judy lifted her gaze to meet James's. He smiled. Judy felt herself smiling back. "Thank you."  
"What happened?" James prompted gently, indicating toward Judy's cheek.  
"Oh, um... Some guy, when I was nine, scratched me. It's not a big deal." Judy explained.  
"What guy?" James said.  
"A fox from my hometown." Judy replied.  
James's ears laid back angrily. "Your partner? Nick Wilde?"  
"Oh, no! Some guy named Gideon." Judy clarified.  
"And you're sure you're comfortable around Nick?" James asked.  
"Of course," said Judy, "he's my closest friend."  
"You're brave, Judy. After what happened to you as a child, and now you're partners with a predator... I admire you." James replied.  
Judy flushed. "Oh, it's nothing. So, um, how'd you propose?"

…Nick got Judy's text and headed over to her apartment, bag in paw. He knocked on her door. She answered, her ears tilted to the side. Her face slanted in a glower. "What's going on, Nick? You're… First punching Gideon, then blowing off James…"

"Hello, good to see you too, Carrots. Of course I'd like to come in," said Nick, rolling his eyes. Judy stepped aside, allowing Nick access into her apartment. They had set up an air mattress for Nick to sleep on whenever he came over, which was frequently. Nick plopped down on the air mattress. He glanced at Judy, who had her paws on her hips and her foot tapped the floor impatiently. He shrugged. "I explained about Gideon. I'm not apologizing for that. And I didn't want to be a third wheel with you and Mr. Big Shot Secret Agent."

Judy blinked. "Third wheel? If anything, James would've been a third wheel with us."

Nick shrugged again. "I'm just tired, okay?"

Judy's face fell. "Okay."

Nick leaned back. Judy looked pretty in her pink dress. Nick's eyes stretched. Since when were bunnies pretty to him? He rolled over, pulling the blankets over himself. Since he and Judy had become friends. Since they had become partners. Since… Since their lives had tangled together. Nick grimaced to himself. He cared for Judy, yeah. But when did those feelings cross friendship into something much more dear? The line seemed really thin to Nick. He didn't like others flirting with her. But maybe that was because he knew she deserved so much better. Fangmire was a nice guy, but there was no way he would be serious in a relationship. Judy deserved someone who paid attention to her, who cared for her unconditionally, who laughed at her dumb jokes, who didn't mind her messy apartment… He huffed. "You look nice in your dress." he muttered.

"Oh… Thanks," said Judy. She turned off the light, plunging the room into darkness. They were quiet for a long time. But Nick knew Judy wasn't asleep. He had stayed the night in her apartment enough to know how she sounded when she slept versus when she was not. "You would tell me if there were something wrong, right?"

Nick grimaced. Normally, he would. But… For this? He wasn't sure if he could tell Judy without ruining their friendship. "Once I work up the courage, yeah." he admitted. He couldn't lie to Judy.

"You're still my best friend, you know that, right?" Judy said.

Nick smiled. "I do, Carrots," he murmured. "And you're still mine."

"Okay, good," Judy sounded relieved. "I thought you were mad at me."

"Nah," said Nick. "How was dinner with James?"

"It was okay," said Judy. "He's nice, but it was kind of boring. We came up with our background stories." She filled him in on their fake romance cover story.

Nick snorted. "It sounds like some trashy romance novel."

Judy giggled. "It does."

Nick yawned. "Well, we've got an early start and I am not a morning person. G'night, Carrots."

"Goodnight, dumb fox." said Judy. Nick's lips tugged with a smile as he drifted off to sleep.

 **…**

 **I loved Zootopia! And I am a huge WildeHopps fan… So, I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and add to the collection of fanfics. This is sort of kinda a baby crossover with the movie Titanic, but not enough so to put it in that category. I guess I was inspired by the film. Anyway, please review! Remember that fanfic writers don't get rewarded for their work except for reviews, favorites and follows… Seriously. It's like crack to us. Lol. Have a good day!**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Distractions**_

Nick walked up the gangplank leading onto the cruise ship, the _Hercules_. He wandered the ship, looking for his room. He was on one of the lower levels of the ship. He entered his room to find his luggage waiting for him. Judy had sent him a text, telling him to meet her on the main deck outside. Nick freshened up and headed to the deck. The ship wouldn't set sail for another hour or so, but people were already wandering about and enjoying their vacation. Nick stayed near the doors, so that he would see Judy when she came out.

"You look a little lost." said a female voice.

Nick looked to see a very pretty she-fox. Her fur was pure white, but the tips of her ears were tinged with grey. Her eyes were bright blue. "U-uh, hi." Nick said stupidly.

The she-fox giggled. "Are you always this tongue tied?"

"Only around beautiful foxes." Nick said, catching himself.

"Ah, so you think I'm beautiful?" said the fox.

"Er... What's your name?" Nick said.

The she-fox's brows pinched together, but she didn't seem too wounded. "Elise White."

"Nick Wilde, nice to meet you." Nick replied, extending a paw.

Elise smiled and shook his paw. "So what're you waiting for, if you're not lost?"

"My friend," said Nick. His eyes brightened when he caught sight of Judy. She was wearing jeans and purple shirt and a straw, floppy hat. Nick felt his lips tug with a small smile. He waved at Judy. "That's her."

"A bunny?" Elise giggled. She touched Nick's arm. "Well, there's a party on level three tonight at seven if you want to come."

Nick glanced down at Elise's suggestive paw and lifted his eyes to meet hers. "Uh..."

"Foxes only." Elise winked and sashayed away. Nick gulped.

"Who was that?" asked Judy.

Nick looked down at her. "Uh, Elise White. She thought I was lost."

"Oh," said Judy. "Isn't this place great?"

"Sure is." Nick replied.

"Well, do you wanna explore? I have a little time before I have to get ready." Judy chirped.

Nick frowned. "Ready for what?"

"James wants to have dinner with me." Judy answered.

Nick's shoulders slumped. "Are you two a thing now?"

"No," Judy scoffed, "although he has been really nice to me and he's one handsome bunny."

"Uhuh." Nick muttered.

"But why would he want to date me? He's in the ZBI!" Judy rambled.

Nick raised a brow and looked at her. "Why wouldn't he want to date you? You're the hero of Zootopia. What's so great about the ZBI compared to that?"

Judy's eyebrows drooped. "You're a hero, too."

"Thanks, Carrots," Nick said as they wandered around. "Well, since you're going to dinner with Special Agent Wonderful, I think I'll go to Elise's party tonight."

"She invited you to a party?" Judy queried.

"Yep," said Nick, trotting down a staircase and down a corridor. They entered a shopping area. Nick peered into one of the shop windows. A clothing store.

"Maybe I could cancel on James and go with you instead. I mean, we might could get some investigating done at this party." Judy suggested.

"No can do, Carrots," said Nick. "It's foxes only."

"Oh." Judy muttered.  
Nick glanced at her. Judy's eyes were distant and lowered toward the floor. Nick sighed. "Look, Carrots, you like James anyway, and you're engaged. Be convincing." He nudged Judy with his elbow.

Judy looked up at him, her mouth slanting with a small smile. "Wanna help pick out my outfit?"

Nick could think of a few other things he'd rather do, but a little more time with this silly bunny was good, too. "Sure thing."

They headed to Judy's room. When Nick entered the suite, he rolled his eyes. "I'm beginning to think Chief Bogo likes you more than me."

"Whys that?" Judy asked, disappearing into the bathroom.

"My room is about a quarter of this size." Nick explained.

"Well, you are supposed to be the unemployed one." Judy replied.

"I'm not unemployed," Nick muttered under his breath.

"What do you think?" Judy's voice caused Nick to turn around. His eyes broadened. He had never seen Judy in a dress before. It was teal, with sheer quarter sleeves and a coral bow around the waist. The corners of Nick's mouth dropped.

"Uhh... You clean up nicely, Carrots." Nick said.

Judy rolled her eyes. "Har har," she joked. She twirled, examining herself in the mirror. "Well... I guess it's good that we're splitting up. We can cover more ground that way."

Nick nodded, though the corners of his mouth pulled downward. "Right. Look for friends of Bellweather's."

"James has connections with some politicians, so we might have a lead there." Judy added.

Nick didn't know why hearing Judy talk about James irked him so much, but boy it did. He rubbed the back of his neck, attempting to smooth down his bristled fur. "Thank goodness for James." Nick said, sarcasm laced in his tone.

Judy raised an eyebrow but didn't comment on Nick's cynicism. "Tomorrow you and I can compare notes and do some more investigating together." Judy replied.

Nick nodded. "Sounds like a plan, Carrots. See ya then." He turned to leave.  
? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ?

Judy sat down at the round table in one of the dining rooms of the ship. She looked around, her eyes wide. The decor of the ship was quite beautiful. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, illuminating the room in sparkles and tiny rainbows created from crystals.

"Judy, this is Hamlet Swineson and his wife, Penelope." James said.

Judy looked up. "Oh, hello."

The pig frowned. "Judy as in Hopps?"

"Oh, no. I'm Judy Hare. Who is Judy Hopps?" Judy rambled nervously.

"You didn't hear about the cop who arrested Bellweather?" Hamlet said, taking a seat.

"I don't really watch the news. What happened?" Judy improvised.

"Did you hear about the animals going savage?" Hamlet asked.

"Yes, I heard about that. How awful." Judy replied.

"Well, Judy Hopps is the officer who cracked the case. Assistant mayor Bellweather was behind it all." Hamlet explained.

Judy covered her mouth with her paws. "That's horrible!"

Hamlet nodded. "She was my dear friend."

"Oh," Judy said. "I'm sorry. Have you visited her in prison?"

"Some," said Hamlet, "but visiting hours are quite strict. Honestly, I think she was on to something. Predators and prey, no matter how evolved we are, should not mix. We're living in the same city, working together, going on vacations! What's next, inter-species relationships? Bah!"

Judy clenched her paws. "Predators aren't bad. They deserve kindness, too. Plenty of prey can be horrible."

Hamlet huffed. "To predators? I think not. Predators have enough to answer for in the past."

"That was so long ago! We can't hold present predators accountable for past mistakes that they themselves didn't commit. It's not fair." Judy argued.

"My fiancée is very much a believer in equality and is quite passionate about it. I apologize." James said.

Judy shot him a glare. She stood up. "Excuse me." she huffed. With that, she wheeled around and left the dining room, her stomach growling.  
? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ?

"Are you having a good time?" said Elise throatily.

"Yeah," Nick replied. "It's nice to be around other foxes for a change."

"I bet," said Elise, "being friends with a bunny must get lonely at times."

"Not at all. Judy's great." Nick said.

Elise swiveled her hips to the beat. She huffed. "Here, I'll introduce you to some friends of mine." She led Nick to a table in the back of the room. "Guys, this is Nick. Nick, these are Tom, Adam, Nancy and Dylan."

Nick sat down. "Hello, Nick." said the one called Tom.

"Hiya," Nick replied.

"I'll get us some drinks." Elise announced. She left Nick alone with the other foxes.

"So, Nick, what do you do?" Dylan asked.

"Uh, I'm unemployed at the moment," Nick lied, "just looking for a job. My friend and her fiancée paid for the trip, but I feel a bit like a third wheel with them."

"That was nice of them." said Nancy.

"Good friends you have." Tom said.

"Yeah," Nick replied. He inhaled. "So, what do you guys do?"

"Well, we're actually all in the farming business." Nancy said.

"You guys don't sound like you're into farming." Nick pointed out.

Dylan chuckled. "You mean we don't sound like we're from Podunk towns?" he said in a false, thick, country accent.

"Right," said Nick, raising a brow. He felt a stab of guilt, thinking of Judy.

"We're more like CEOs who run the farm." Nancy explained.

"Yeah. There's no way I'm getting down and dirtying up my paws. I'll pay someone to do it for me." Dylan snorted.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with a humble life of farming." Nick said.

"Oh, not at all," agreed Nancy, "but it's better to be a CEO."

"Pays more." Tom added.

"So what do you guys farm?" Nick asked.

"All kinds of produce. Our farming businesses merged because Dylan farmed fruit, Tom grew vegetables, Adam farmed cotton, soy and things like that, and I was a florist. We merged our farms to create one big business, Earthen Gifts, Incorporated." Nancy answered.

Nick's brow furrowed. "You guys own Earthen Gifts?"

"Yes," chorused Nancy, Dylan, Adam and Tom.

"Wow," Nick replied, his brows raising, "I had no idea foxes ran the company."

"Well, now you know." Adam muttered.

"It's just odd for foxes, y'know? Farming?" Nick prompted.

"Well, farming isn't just for bunnies." Dylan snorted.

"Never said it was," said Nick.

"It's a quiet life," said Nancy.

"Away from all the prejudice. Mammals believe foxes are just shifty low lives. Farming takes us away from all that." Adam replied.

Nick frowned. "Yeah, I can relate to that." he muttered. Elise returned with drinks. After a shot of some strong alcohol, Nick obliged to a dance with Elise. Suddenly, his phone buzzed. Nick apologized to Elise and stepped into the bathroom, the bass from the dancefloor vibrating the floor beneath Nick's paws.

"Nick?" Judy sounded distressed.

"Carrots, what's up?" said Nick, fixing his crooked tie.

"I ditched James and I'm starving. Will you come to dinner with me? There's a 24-hour buffet on the main level." said Judy.

Nick smirked. "See you in a few."

"Great," Judy sounded relieved. She hung up. Nick slithered out of the bathroom and approached Elise.

"Sorry, I gotta go. I had fun." he said.

Elise grabbed at Nick's tie. "Do you have to go?"

Nick pulled his tie out of Elise's grasp. "Afraid so. I'll see you around."

"Nick! Wait!" Elise cried. She shoved something into Nick's front pocket. He glanced downward, the corners of his mouth pulling downward.

"What…?" he asked, reaching for his pocket, but Elise stopped him.

"Later," she purred, "read it later."

Nick blinked. He left the fox party and headed for the main deck, looking for Judy. He found her sitting by herself at a booth beside one of the large windows. Her eyes gazed out the dark window, staring into the black sea. Nick slid into the seat across from her. "So. You ditched James?" he asked.

Judy looked up, her eyes stretching. She grimaced. "And… I might've blown up the case."

"Spill," said Nick. A waiter came by and took their drink orders. Nick faced Judy, who stared out the window again. "C'mon, Carrots. I'm sure it wasn't that bad."

"I met someone who was really good friends with Bellweather. And he said she was right, that prey and predators shouldn't mix. I just… I got so angry and I defended predators… James chalked it down to my being passionate about equality. I excused myself and left." Judy explained.

Nick stared at her. He shrugged. "So, apologize to the guy later and say you'll just agree to disagree. The case hasn't been blown up yet. James is probably handling it now. Thanks for defending predators, by the way."

Judy looked up, though her ears drooped shyly. "No problem."

The two got up to explore the buffet. After picking some meals, they sat back down to eat. Nick chewed on a blueberry for longer than necessary. "What else is bugging you, Carrots?"

Judy looked up. "Bellweather's friend mentioned disgust with inter-species relationships, and that's when I snapped at him. I don't know why, it just really bothered me."

Nick swallowed, but a lump threatened to clog his throat. He had thought about that. It was strange enough that he was such close friends with a bunny, let alone… Nick pushed the thought away. Dating was a stupid idea. Why would he want to date Judy anyway? Sure, she was pretty, for a bunny. She was his best friend, yeah. But… Date? That was just… silly. "Well, that guy's a jerk who doesn't know what he's talking about." Nick said at last.

Judy nodded. She tilted her head. "What's that in your pocket?"

Nick glanced down at the slip of paper Elise had shoved in his pocket. "Uh… Elise gave it to me. I haven't looked at it yet."

"Well, let's look." said Judy.

"She said to read it later." Nick replied.

"It's later," said Judy, leaning forward and snatching the paper from Nick's pocket.

"Sly bunny," Nick chuckled.

But Judy's fond "dumb fox" retort never came. Nick frowned as he examined the disappointment on Judy's face. He glanced at the paper, which was a folded napkin. On it was a lipstick stain, a print of Elise's lips and a room number, presumably Elise's. Judy inhaled and slid the napkin back to Nick. "Seems you're doing quite well for yourself so far." she said.

Nick glanced at the napkin, then looked back at Judy. For some reason, his stomach churned and writhed like a basket of snakes. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Well, I am a handsome fox." he tried, smirking.

Judy raised her eyebrows and rolled her eyes. "Well… Are you gonna go for it?"

"Should I?" Nick asked.

"She's a pretty fox." said Judy.

"Yeah, she is…" Nick allowed.

"But if she does anything to hurt you, she'll have to answer to me." Judy threatened.

Nick glanced up, grinning. "Yeah, you are terrifying."

Judy crossed her arms. "The sarcasm is unnecessary, Nick Wilde."

Nick chuckled. "Aw, Carrots, you should know by now that sarcasm and I are a package deal."

"Unfortunately, I do." said Judy, rolling her eyes.

Nick's lips slid upward slyly. "You know you love me."

"Do I?" Judy countered. "Yes, I do."

 **…**

 **Sorry if the format is weird, I wrote this on mobile. Since I got a review, I decided to go ahead and post this chapter earlier. Let me know what you guys think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**_Motionless_**

Judy found Nick at breakfast. "Let's go do something." she said. "I'm seriously bored."

Nick sipped his coffee, eyebrows raised. "May I finish my coffee?"

Judy sighed and slid into the seat across from him. "Wanna go look at the museum on board?"

"There's a museum on board?" Nick replied.

"Yeah," said Judy, "didn't you read the brochure?"

"No, that's what you're for," said Nick. He took another swig of coffee. "So, did you talk to that friend of Bellweather's? What's his name again?"

"Hamlet Swineson," said Judy, "and no. I haven't even spoken with James. Did you talk to your fox friends?"

"Nope," said Nick, "I went to bed last night."

"Was Elise with you?' Judy attempted to sound teasing. She hoped Nick didn't see right through her.

"No," said Nick, making a face, "contrary to popular belief, I am not easy."

Judy rolled her eyes. "Or maybe you're just incapable."

Nick kicked her under the table. Judy grinned while Nick drained the last bit of his coffee. "All right. Let's go see this museum."

They headed below deck to check out the art museum on the third level. Judy giggled like a prepubescent child at the nude paintings, while Nick tugged her away, rolling his eyes. They certainly were not as posh as the others examining the paintings, who spent several minutes at a time looking at the art, whereas Nick and Judy spent a minute at most. Judy gazed at an extremely abstract painting, her head tilted to one side. Nick stood beside her, paws in his pockets, his tie loose around his neck. "So," said Nick quietly, "you think this pig Swineson could be the conspirator?"

Judy scrunched her face. "No," she murmured back, "I don't think he's smart enough to pull it off. He's prejudiced, but I don't think he's capable of this."

"He's our best lead though." said Nick.

Judy sighed. "I'll try," she promised, "but what about your fox friends? Didn't you say they went into farming?"

"But they're foxes," Nick insisted. "Why would they attack other predators? And your parents are farmers, too. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Because farmers grow Night Howlers." Judy whispered.

"Again, they're foxes." said Nick.

"They could be paid off, or they just don't know." said Judy.

Nick let out a long sigh. "I'll see if there's a connection, but I doubt there is one."

"Thank you," said Judy. "Let's go swimming."

"Yeah, this art is weird." agreed Nick. The two of them left the museum, earning themselves a few stares for their comments as they climbed the stairs toward the main deck. Nick walked Judy to her suite so that she could change into a bathing suit. She wore a cover-up and followed Nick down to his room. He changed and then they headed for the main deck to swim in the pool.

They jumped into the cool water, splashing and dunking each other, laughter echoing across the deck. Nick was a far better swimmer than Judy, who tired quickly. But she wasn't a quitter. Nick showed her some swimming techniques to help her. They swam in tandem to one side of the pool. Judy caught sight of a familiar pair of feet. Her eyes traveled up to the owner of said feet.

"Hey, James." chirped Judy.

"Hello," said James smoothly.

"We were just about to discuss the case." Judy said, nudging Nick with her elbow.

Nick cleared his throat. "Yep."

James lifted a brow. "About that… Come on, we have much to discuss." He turned and strode away from the pool's edge. Nick and Judy exchanged a glance before pulling themselves out of the water. Nick wrapped himself in a towel, as did Judy. Then they joined James at an outdoor table.

"What's up?" Judy asked.

"There's a gala tonight. Practically everyone on board will be there. I was thinking that would be the perfect time for a bomb to go off. The biggest gathering of mammals in one place the whole journey is the best time to get as many victims." James said.

"You've really thought this through," said Nick.

James scowled. "It's my job."

"If the bomb goes off at the gala, predators and prey will go savage." Judy whispered, shaking her head.

"All hell will break loose." Nick agreed.

"Which is why I got the three of us tickets." said James, procuring said tickets from his shirt pocket.

"We'll have to wear our earpieces." said Judy.

"No, earpieces are too easy to spot," said James. He withdrew three black objects. They looked like miniscule remotes with a single button in the middle. "These are signifiers. If one of you spots something, just click it. The others will vibrate, alerting us that you've found something and need help. Nick, you're going to need a suit."

Judy examined the signifier between her paws before pocketing it. She glanced at Nick, who nodded, accepting his own signifier. He put it into his pocket. "Won't Judy need a gown?"

"I packed her one." said James.

"You did?" Judy said with a frown.

"If we're playing the part of couple, I should spoil you, right? So yes, I got you a gown." James winked.

Judy noticed Nick glance at her, but she was too flustered to glance back. "Oh… Um… Thank you."

James leaned forward and kissed Judy's cheek. "Of course, darling. Let's leave Nick to his shopping. The captain wishes to give us a tour of the ship."

Judy's heart sank. "Oh… Um… All right. See you tonight, Nick." she said.

"Okay." Nick replied. He slid out of the booth, his paws in his pockets, his ears drooping. Judy watched him go, her paws worrying at the fabric of her towel.

…

"Try this suit," said Nancy, handing Nick a suit on a hanger.

"So, how is the flower business?" Nick asked.

"Why? Thinking of becoming a florist?" Nancy queried.

Nick shrugged. "Maybe. Told you I was looking for a job."

Nancy giggled. "Well, it's better now that I merged with the others."

Nick stepped inside the fitting room. "Uhuh." He undressed and then put on the suit. He stepped out.

"Oh, you clean up nicely." Elise purred.

"Very nice!" agreed Nancy.

Nick spun, examining himself in the mirror. He did look quite sharp. He looked at the two she-foxes. "Thank you, ladies."

"You'll break hearts in that suit, Nick." Elise murmured throatily.

Nick grinned. It faltered. "I have a question."

"Is it about flowers again?" Nancy chirped.

"No, sorry," said Nick, "it's about females."

"Oh, got someone special in mind?" Nancy cooed.

"Well, maybe. Let's say someone is insulting me, and a certain female steps in and defends me. What does that mean?" Nick said, stepping back into the fitting room to get back into his other clothes.

"It means she respects and cares for you." Nancy answered.

"Is this a hypothetical situation or a real one?" Elise added.

Nick stepped out, the suit draped over his arm. "Real."

"Who was insulting you?" Nancy demanded.

"And who defended you?" Elise added.

"Well, Hamlet Swineson insulted me." Nick replied.

Nancy groaned. "I know him. He's horrible to predators. But I can't say too many negative things about him; he's a regular customer."

"I understand." Nick replied.

Elise was quiet. She pursed her lips. "Who defended you?"

"My friend, Judy." Nick said.

"The bunny?" Elise hissed.

"Wait, you like a bunny?" Nancy giggled.

Nick gritted his teeth. "I didn't say that!"

"You didn't have to," said Nancy, "no wonder you talk about farming so much! I bet your friend is one, and you're trying to learn more about it!"

"Yeah, that's right." Nick said, bringing his suit to the register.

"Prey and predator would never work. It's just... Wrong." Elise scoffed.

Nick paid for the suit and grabbed it. He turned to Elise. "Well, that's my problem, not yours," he growled. He smoothed his snarl. "Thank you for your help, ladies."  
? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ?  
Judy observed herself in the mirror with her ears laid back and her brow furrowed. The gown for the gala was elegant. It was strapless and sparkly crimson with a decent train. She wore a crystal necklace to go with the gown. She tilted her head. Was it too much?

There was a knock on her door, jolting her out of her thoughts. She rushed to answer it, hoping it was Nick. Her smile faltered when she saw James. Sure, he was handsome and sweet, but he had no clue who Judy was. And he didn't listen to her. He didn't want to get to know Judy.  
"Ah, you look ravishing. Ready?" James said, extending an arm. Judy dipped her head and looped her arm through his. They walked through the halls until they arrived at the elevator, which they took to the third level. James led Judy into the ballroom, which was decorated with crystalline chandeliers and silver drapes and streamers across the ceiling. An orchestra played some waltz music. A cluster of people danced together on the dance floor. Judy looked around anxiously for Nick. "This way, Judy." James said. He led Judy down an extravagant staircase, toward the main eating area. Judy caught sight of Nick. He looked handsome in his suit and green tie. His eyes lifted to meet Judy's. He smirked and bowed to her.

"You look lovely, m'lady," he said.

Judy rolled her eyes. "So do you."

"I know, I actually don't look sketchy." Nick teased.

Judy snorted. "You don't look sketchy... Maybe disheveled..."

Nick nudged her playfully. "All right, all right, Carrots."

They walked over to their designated table. Nick sat down on Judy's right while James took her left side. "Should we be looking for the bomb?" Nick muttered in Judy's ear.

She looked at him and nodded. "We could split up and search for it. We have our signalers. If one of us finds something, press the button to signal the other for backup."

"It would be wise if two of us stayed here," said James, leaning over. He stood. "Judy, care for a dance, beautiful?"

Judy flushed and glanced at Nick, who was scowling. She shrugged it off. "Signal me if you need me." she murmured in Nick's ear. She got up and was swept off to the dance floor by James.  
? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ?  
Nick rolled his eyes and went to search for the bomb, wandering the service halls behind the ballroom. Stupid James and his smooth talking, glossy fur and handsome bunny face. Nick grumbled under his breath. Judy was his partner, not James's! Nick stopped in his tracks at the sight of movement. He hid behind a set of pipes and peered around the corner. A pig was snooping around. The pig wasn't wearing an employee uniform. This was definitely a passenger of the ship, not crew. Nick's eyes slid toward the direction of the pig's gaze. Nick's heart stopped. It was the bomb, attached to an air vent. Quickly, Nick fumbled for the signaler. He pressed the button, hoping Judy hurried up. The pig backed away from the bomb. It was ticking with a countdown. Seven minutes. Nick looked away, thinking fast. He didn't have time to wait for Judy. He rounded the corner.

"Police!" he yelled. The pig widened his eyes at Nick and took off. Nick rolled his eyes and pursued the pig. It didn't take much for Nick to catch up. He leaped and tackled the pig to the floor and cuffed him. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand your rights?" Nick snapped.

"Yes!" squealed the pig. "What am I being arrested for, fox scum?"

Nick hauled the pig to his feet. "Oh, I don't know, detonating that bomb?"

"What? I did no such thing! I merely found it!" yelled the pig.

"Uhuh, sure," said Nick.

"Nick! What's going on?" cried Judy, running up to them.

Nick glanced at the pig. "He detonated the bomb. I don't know how long we have."

"I'm telling you, I didn't detonate the bomb!" roared the pig.

Judy turned to him. "Hamlet Swineson, if you are innocent, then you don't mind us searching your room, do you?"

"Of course not!" Hamlet snarled. "Get this filthy fox off me!"

Nick raised a brow and glanced at Judy, whose eyes blazed. "Show some respect for authority! You don't have a lot of odds in your favor right now, Swineson. I wouldn't talk about my friend so rudely." Judy yelled.

Hamlet narrowed his eyes. "You are Judy Hopps!"

"Duh," said Nick.

"You disgusting rabbit! Siding with them, the predators! You deserve what's coming to you!" Hamlet spat in Judy's face.

Nick growled and slammed Hamlet against the wall. "Back off, buddy!" he snarled. He glanced at Judy. "You okay?"

Judy nodded. "Yeah." she said, wiping her face.

"Judy! Come look at this!" called James.

Nick led Hamlet to some security guards, who took the pig to a holding cell. Nick turned and headed down the hall. He didn't like being so close to the bomb... James cut a wire, and the bomb's countdown stopped.

Nick let out a sigh of relief. James stood. "Well done, Nick." he said.

Nick blinked. "Thanks."

"Judy, you looked absolutely stunning tonight. I apologize that our evening came to such an abrupt end, but we must search Swineson's quarters. We need to make sure the case is really solved." James said.

Nick rolled his eyes. But the bunny had a point. He, Judy and James wandered to Swineson's room. His wife, Penelope, granted them access. Nick began searching through Hamlet's belongings. So far, not so good. Hamlet may have been viciously prejudiced toward predators, but he wasn't looking like the criminal they were searching for.

"Aha!" James announced. Nick looked to see James holding up what looked like a remote.

"Ladies and gentle-fox, I give you the detonator."

Nick exchanged a glance with Judy. "Looks like we have our guy."

"Now we can enjoy our trip," Judy agreed. Nick left James to explain everything to Mrs. Swineson. Nick sauntered over to Judy.

"So," he said, "you want to celebrate?"

Judy nodded. "Let's go."

Nick led the way to a room on one of the lower decks. Nancy had told him about the party, open to all species. Nick entered the large room. It looked like it was supposed to be a conference room, but a horde of animals had turned it into a party room. Mammals of all species danced, laughed, drank and ate. A live band played a fast-paced tune that many danced to. Some stood on the sidelines, merely clapping their paws together, but they didn't look bored. Nick smirked at Judy. She grabbed his paw.

"Come on! Let's go!" she squealed. Nick allowed himself to be dragged into the dance floor while Judy bounced around excitedly. Nick and Judy spun around together, gripping each other's paws. Nick switched partners. Judy danced with a tiger while Nick twirled around with a gazelle. Nick felt his face crack into a genuine grin. He switched partners again, looping his arm into a familiar white-furred arm.

"Hello, Nick," cooed Elise.

"Elise! Hi!" Nick replied. He danced around with Elise for a bit.

"If you want, we can go back to my room." Elise murmured.

Nick blanched. "Uh... Might take you up on that, sweets." He winked and skipped off to return to Judy.

"This is so much fun!" Judy cried.

"Yeah," Nick replied, his gaze flitting to Elise. She was one of the most beautiful she-foxes he had ever laid eyes on. But he didn't want to join her in her room. He, despite what others seemed to think, wasn't like that. He might be smooth, but he wasn't easy. Besides, he was fairly certain he had eyes for someone else. Nick felt his smirk vanish. His eyes found Judy's as they spun around to the beat. The fast-paced rhythm faded into a slower one. Nick placed a respectful paw on Judy's waist and gripped her other paw in his. They waltzed for a bit, gazing at each other for what seemed like a long time. This was his best friend. And a bunny, no doubt! He was himself around her, and she accepted him completely. They had their differences, for sure, but what he lacked, she made up for and vice versa. He loved her. He knew that. But that love had been dancing on the lines of platonic and romantic for a while now. Nick wasn't a huge believer in romance. Love was love, no matter what form it came in. And Nick knew he loved Judy. Like family, like a friend, like a... Lover?

It wasn't right. It couldn't be. A fox and a rabbit? Come on. It was just plain weird. Unnatural. No. The prejudices had nearly severed their friendship. Nick would not let it sever his relationship with Judy ever again. He stopped dancing and tugged Judy out of the room. "Come on. I'm hungry." he replied.

Judy nodded. "Can I change, first?" she asked.

Nick chuckled. "Sure thing, Carrots." Even though he had already decided to not let his love for Judy ruin their friendship, the decision did nothing to alleviate the pain clenching in his chest. Was he doomed to forever pine after her?

 **…**

 **Hey! Sorry for the late update. I've been out of town basically all of June. Plus, I have other stories I'm writing. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Just wanted to say before things get started that I am aware of the comic with Jack Savage in it. James is in no way based off of Jack Savage. I didn't see the Jack Savage thingy until after I started writing this. Also, James looks different than JS. I do realize how it could come across that way, but this is my disclaimer. James is my character and Jack Savage belongs to whoever created him.**

 ** _Sinister Intentions_**

Judy stepped out of her bathroom, dressed in jeans and yellow flannel. It felt much better to be out of that dress. Nick had untucked his crisp shirt, loosened his tie and tossed his jacket aside. He had his paws in his pockets again. "Ready, Carrots?"

Judy nodded. She followed Nick to the cafeteria. They were in relative silence, both tired from the events that evening. After eating, they wandered out onto the main deck. The night air was cool, causing Judy to shiver. She hugged herself, her ears drooping. She glanced at Nick out of the corner of her eye. He stared ahead, though the corners of his mouth were pulled downward into a frown. "So... How are things with Elise?" Judy asked.

"What do you mean?" Nick asked. They reached the rail of the cruise and peered down at the dark sea below.

"Don't you like each other? I mean, you guys have been hanging out a lot. And she's beautiful." Judy tried half-heartedly. She wasn't sure if she liked Elise or not. But she would support Nick.

"Yeah, she is," Nick sighed, "but I think I love someone else."

Judy widened her eyes. She looked up at him. "Really? Who?"

Nick stared ahead for several seconds. He turned toward Judy, his brows pinching together. He parted his lips to respond, but he was interrupted by something whizzing through the air and hitting him directly in the neck. Nick was thrown off his feet and onto the deck with a yelp.

"Nick!" Judy cried, dropping beside him. She examined Nick's neck. Blue liquid stained his red fur. Judy stared at it, her eyes widening in horror. A Night Howler bullet. Nick trembled and thrashed, growling and snarling. "Nick...?" Judy whimpered.

Nick glanced up at her, his eyes tearful. "Judy... Run..." he snarled.

Judy shook her head. "No, no!"

Nick snapped at her, teeth dripping in saliva. Judy jumped back, gaping at her friend. Nick had gone savage. His eyes didn't recognize her. All he saw was prey.

Judy backed away, tears filling her eyes. "Nick, snap out of it!" she cried. But she knew he couldn't. Nick leaped forward, claws unsheathed. Judy threw up her arms to cover her face. Nick's claws raked Judy's forearm. She jumped to her feet and started running. She could hear Nick pursuing her. She whimpered as she climbed the steps. "Nick, please!" she cried. She sprinted along the deck. She spotted James ahead. "Help!" she yelled.

James widened his eyes. "Security!" he howled. He caught Judy in his arms and thrust her behind him protectively. Nick, still on all fours, bared his teeth and growled. He prepared himself to leap forward, but a tiger guard and a lion guard tackled Nick, who snapped at them. Judy's eyes filled with tears, watching Nick struggle. The tiger pulled out a muzzle. Judy widened her eyes and stepped forward.

"No!" she cried. "You can't muzzle him! Stop!" James grabbed Judy, holding her back. Judy's body wracked with sobs as Nick was muzzled and cuffed. "Nick!" Judy wailed. James restrained her.

"It's all right, Judy, it's all right." he murmured. Judy watched Nick get hauled away.

She wheeled to look at James. "It's not all right! He hates muzzles! They can't do that to him!"

James blinked. He cupped Judy's face in his paws. "Don't worry, I have the antidote. He won't be like that for long."

Judy sniffled. "I want to see him."

"Hold on," James murmured. "You're trembling. You're still in shock. Come with me."

James took Judy to his cabin. He tended to the scratches on Judy's arm. "Nick... Oh, Nick..." Judy whimpered to herself.

"He'll be fine, Judy. I promise. Stay here. I made you some tea. I'll give Nick the antidote." James said quietly.

Judy smiled up at him, accepting the warm mug of tea. "Thank you, James. You've been very kind and helpful."

James put his paws in his pockets and looked at the floor, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Judy, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

Judy frowned. "What's that?"

James met her gaze. "Since we've been working together, you have completely enchanted me. I didn't mean to fall for you, but I have. I have fallen deeply and madly in love with you." James turned and left the cabin before Judy could respond. She gaped at the door for a solid minute.  
James was in love with her? How? They'd only known each other for three days! Judy tapped her foot rapidly. She set her tea down, having not taken a sip. She couldn't sit around knowing Nick was suffering so much. She had to be there with him. She left James's cabin and headed to the bottom level of the ship, where the holding cells were. They were less like cells and more like rooms with metal doors. Judy pricked her ears, listening for Nick. She heard him in one of the rooms on the end of the hall. She pushed open the door.

Her heart clenched at the sight of Nick, handcuffed to a pole, thrashing and snarling behind his muzzle. James had a syringe in his paw. He glanced at Judy. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I needed to be here." Judy replied.

James sighed. "Judy, you really should be resting."

"Give him the antidote!" Judy snapped.

James raised his brows, looking hurt, but he plunged the needle into Nick's skin. Nick whined as James delivered the antidote. Judy watched anxiously, her paws covering her mouth and her eyes wide. Nick slumped, dropping to his knees. James turned. "It could take hours for him to awaken or minutes, Judy. It's best that you get some rest."

Judy stared at Nick, who was unconscious and chained up like a savage beast. Her eyes filled with tears. "I can't leave him." she whispered.

"Judy, this is ridiculous. What are you going to do, sleep here on the floor?" James snapped.

"If I must." Judy replied.

James's eyes stretched. "You... You care for him. You love him."

Judy looked away. "Yes." she said, tears dripping down her cheeks.

"But he's a fox!" sneered James, looking repulsed.

Judy looked at him. "Does that truly matter?"

James stiffened. "I suppose not."

Judy stepped toward Nick, but the ship rocked violently, sending Judy sprawling. The ship groaned and creaked with a loud scraping noise, shuddering beneath Judy's paws. She looked at James with wide eyes.

"What's going on?" she cried.

The tiger and lion security guards rushed into the room. "There's an emergency! You must get out of here!" said the tiger.

"Judy?" grumbled Nick.

Judy looked at him, a smile breaking out across her features. "Nick!" she gasped.

Before she could rush over to Nick, the tiger grabbed her. "Come on, miss!" he roared, dragging her back.

"No! Nick! Nick!" Judy screamed, struggling to get back to her friend.

"Judy?" cried Nick, lifting his head. His eyes were glazed over, but Judy could see his face contorting with terror. He yanked on his restraints and shook his head, trying to get free of his muzzle.

"Nick!" Judy shrieked. But the tiger security guard hauled Judy above deck and into her cabin. Judy collapsed on the floor, sobbing. "Nick..."  
? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ?  
"For a fox, you're pretty stupid. I don't know why the ZPD hired you."

Nick's eyelids fluttered open. He looked up, toward the source of the voice. His eyes widened at the sight of James. Nick tugged at his restraints. "You."

James snorted. "Yes, me. You followed every single step I laid out for you. Bellweather is a dear friend of mine. I needed to make you and the dumb bunny suffer before I continued her noble work. And then I realized something: you love the bunny! So, naturally, I must stop this ridiculous inter species relationship. It's positively repulsive. I saw the two of you on the deck and a thought occurred to me: the best way to tear the two of you apart is to turn you against Judy. You had to go savage and kill her."

Nick narrowed his eyes. "So why cure me?"

"Well, you didn't manage to kill the brat. And I'm not certain I want Judy finding out just yet. I want to have a little fun with her," James explained. Nick bared his teeth and let out a low growl. James chuckled. "Even if the two of you survive this cruise trip, and you won't, Judy will never look at you the same again. She will certainly be afraid of you now. Goodnight, Nick."

Nick watched James head for the door. "Wait!" he gasped. James paused. Nick's eyes rounded. "Did I... Did I hurt her?"

James turned, looking smug. "Yes." He left the room without another word.

Nick rested his head against the pole. "No... Judy..."  
? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ? ﾟﾐﾾ?  
Judy walked into the main ballroom, which was crowded with hundreds of different mammals, all huddled together with their respective peers. "Please remain calm," said a voice over a microphone. Judy stood on her tiptoes, looking for the source. Her eyes found a crewman on the platform where the band had played the previous night. "The ship has struck an iceberg. Now, we are prepared for emergencies such as this. Please remain calm and make your way to the upper deck where the lifeboats are located. You will board the lifeboats to the appropriate capacity and remain in the boat at all times. Again, please remain calm."

Of course, the other mammals started panicking. Judy glanced at James. "We have to get Nick." she said.

"Judy, wait!" said James, grabbing Judy's paw. "It's too dangerous."

Judy frowned, staring at him. "I am not leaving him!" she snarled. She yanked free of James and took off for the elevators. She opted for the stairs, since the elevators were out of order. She sprinted down the stairs until she reached the level where Nick was. She hurried down the hall and burst into Nick's cell.

"Nick!" she gasped, dropping beside him.

Nick looked up at her with wide eyes. "Judy! What are you doing here?"

"The ship is sinking," Judy replied, "I couldn't leave you behind." She took off the muzzle. Nick gazed at her, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths.

"You're crazy, Carrots." he murmured.

"You know you love me." Judy retorted, unlocking Nick's cuffs with her key.

"I do know that, actually." Nick replied. As soon as his paws were free, he threw his arms around Judy. She hugged him back, burying her face into his chest. Judy felt Nick squeeze her a little tighter than necessary.

"You foxes, so dramatic." she teased.

"Are you okay? James said I hurt you." Nick said, ignoring Judy's jibe.

"I'm fine. It's just a scratch." Judy replied, showing Nick her arm.

Nick, however, frowned. He lifted his eyes to meet Judy's. "I'm so sorry, Carrots."

"Hey, I'm okay," said Judy, giving Nick another hug.

"That reminds me," said Nick, "James is behind all of this."

"What?" Judy said, pulling away from Nick.

"Yeah, he told me everything." Nick replied.

Judy frowned. "We need to get some evidence... Not that I don't trust you, it's just that it's illegal for us to go around assigning blame with no real proof. But it needs to survive the sinking. Nick? Are you listening?"

Nick grimaced. "Uh, Carrots? We need to get out of here."

"What? Why?" Judy asked. Nick, staring ahead still, grabbed Judy by the shoulders and spun her around. Judy gasped. Water was pooling toward them from underneath the door. The _Hercules_ really was sinking.

 **...**

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